ARC REVIEW Test Drive by Marie Harte

Two years ago Marie Harte released the McCauley Brothers series. I read the last two, Ruining Mr. Perfect and What to do with a Bad boy this book is a spin off of the latter of the two. The characters from Murphy's Garage that were introduced are finally getting their stories. Unfortunately it's been two years and A LOT of book later I didn't remember the characters right of the bat and I felt a little confused with the abundance of character intros in the very first chapter. It's not necessary that you read The McCauley Brothers series, this is a new series and everyone is reintroduced, but it is very obvious that it is a spin off from another series and be warned the majority of the characters are all introduced in the very first chapter rather succinctly. Not that it's a bad thing I just wasn't prepared and felt a little lost at first.

The story was strictly romance, two people who have been spying each other over the bar and have been friends. Not for the lack of trying on Johnny's part he's asked Lara out a dozen times already and she still turns him down. Lara has seen what working your self to the bones just to get by like her parents and has watched repeatedly her sister go from one husband to the next in search of someone to financially take care of them. Lara isn't going to be like that she has a plan and that doesn't include having a man in her life, not even one as hot as Johnny.

Lara's brother-in-law, soon to be ex-brother-in-law, starts to give her sister a hassle about the divorce and says he trusts only Lara (who used to be a CPA until she realized she hated it and for some convoluted reasoning he wants her to deal with the financial aspect of the divorce) especially since the divorce lawyer her sister was sleeping with called quits and was stuck without one. But Lara knows the true motives behind his reasoning which is to get Lara to sleep with him, something he's been trying to do since before her sister and him married. Knowing just what a douche he is Lara sets up the meeting at the bar and asks Johnny to keep an eye out for her in case anything happens. That's how it all starts. From the moment Johnny saved Lara her whole look but don't touch dissolved and as much as she tries Johnny is bound to her. Lara just has to get over her misconception that every man whats to change her and that she will lose her identity and self in a relationship.

Overall, it was a cute romance I enjoyed the characters and story pretty much. I look forward to the rest of the boys getting theirs.